- Having chronic medical problems (emphysema, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and depression), with the risk increasing with multiple health problems. Such problems may account for 30% of falls in older women.
- Taking multiple medications (especially tranquilizers and antidepressants).
- Poor physical function, importantly slow gait and reduced muscle strength. Inactivity that results in weak thigh muscles and poor balance particularly puts any older person at risk for fracture and particularly those with low bone density.
- Poor concentration or mental impairment.
- Impaired vision.
- Hazardous environment (such as the presence of throw rugs in the house).
Mortality Rates After Fracture
Between 25 - 36% of women who experience a hip fracture die within a year afterward, and about a quarter of the patients require nursing home treatment. The mortality rates after major fractures may be even higher in older men than in older women. Mortality rates after hip fractures declined from the 1960s through the early 1980s, but they have since leveled off. Whether or not medical advances can improve mortality rates in the future, prevention of osteoporosis is extremely important.
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